Erasmus Darwin

Erasmus Darwin (December 12,1731 – April 18,1802) trained as a physician and wrote extensively on medicine and botany, as well as poetry. He lived in Birmingham and Lichfield, England. He was one of the founder members of the Lunar Society. He was a member of the Darwin-Wedgwood family, most famously including his grandson, Charles Darwin.

Inventions

He was in inventor of several devices, though did not patent any of them. He believed this would damage his reputation as a doctor, and encouraged his friends to patent their own modifications of his designs.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

• One was a horizontal windmill, which he designed for Josiah Wedgwood (who would be Charles Darwin's other grandfather).
• A carriage that would not tip over was designed in 1766.
• In 1771 he invented a speaking machine.
• A canal lift for barges.
• A minute artificial bird.
• In 1778 he came up with a copying machine.
• He also produced a variety of weather monitoring machines.
• In 1783 he invented an artesian well.
• He conducted research into the formation of clouds, the latter of which he published in 1788.

He also inspired Robert Weldon's Somersetshire Coal Canal caisson lock (article in french).

Related Topics:
Robert Weldon - Somersetshire Coal Canal caisson lock - Article in french

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~